2026 Toyota GR GT super-sports car on track for Australia

In a surprise twist, the 2026 Lexus LFR super-sports car could be joined by a closely-related Toyota-badged Gazoo Racing performance model, going by trademark filings with IP Australia for the Toyota GR GT.

Until now, Toyota Motor Corporation’s first dedicated performance flagship since the Lexus LFA supercar was anticipated to carry only a Lexus badge, as recently acknowledged by Toyota’s World Endurance Championship (WEC) team boss Rob Leupen.

Now, however, the rear-drive coupe looks set to wear Toyota GR badges, with Toyota submitting a stylised version of the ‘GR GT’ nameplate for local trademarking.

The emblem comprises a small GR logo alongside unique ‘GT’ lettering and was submitted exclusively under Class 12 (automobiles and structural parts thereof) on January 19, just days after being submitted for trademarking in Canada.

The discovery aligns with the ‘Toyota GR GT3’ nameplate worn by the prototype WEC car when it was unveiled two years ago – a car Toyota Gazoo Racing president Koji Sato described as “the real model that will be run for the competition race”.

A defining element of the GT3 racing scene is the fact all cars need to be based on a production model, which confirms the existence of a production version of the GR GT3 by default.

“Everybody knows we are developing a car, and this car will come to race in Europe in 2026,” Leupen said.

“The date is in alignment with the road car side, which is following the philosophy of Toyota to have a motorsport-bred car on the road. This is moving forward at the moment.”

GR GT could well be the perfect nameplate for the production car given the marketing potential to hammer home the relationship between it and the GR GT3 racer.

But where does that leave the Lexus LFR?

Logic suggests the LFR will be a higher-end version of the GR GT as per the usual Toyota-Lexus arrangement with models like the RAV4 and NX, Camry and ES and, more recently, Yaris Cross and LBX.

This relationship took on a new dynamic recently with the release of the 2024 Lexus LBX Morizo RR Concept – a high-performance version of the LBX light SUV leveraging the powertrain and other go-faster componentry from the updated Toyota GR Yaris hot hatch, which itself has links with Toyota WRC cars.

Whereas the GR GT is expected to look like a tamer version of the GR GT3, the LFR is widely expected to resemble the 2021 Lexus Electrified Sport concept and sit at the top of the Toyota-Lexus model hierarchy.

A forced-induction V8 petrol-electric hybrid system is the prime powertrain candidate for the LFR, with the electrification measures possibly setting it apart from the GR GT.

That said, there’s every chance the Toyota could launch with a hybrid system, depending on the racer’s set-up.

The next-level Electrified Sport concept was claimed to be capable of a blinding 0-100km/h time of circa 2.0sec, along with a driving range of up to 700km.

Toyota/Lexus Australia hasn’t provided any indication as to the local chances of a GR GT or LFR being sold here, but the growing array of trademarks, including this most recent one, suggests both models are on the cards for our market.

Join the conversation at 

our Facebook page

Or email us at 

editor@carsales.com.au